Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-01-16

"1his is downright madness lex
claimed. " Mr. Foster is the kindest
and best of men-quitc incapable OF
harboriDg designs upon his step
daughters life"
- know Lawrence Foster; you do
not, " he answered quietly. 81 know
him 70 be bold and cunning and nm
scupulous. Edith believes IN him and
his sister but she is sadly deceived.
l hoped to be able TO enlist You on my
side, Miss Armitage, when / heard OF
your arrival ut the Hall. | should be
glad 70 feel sure that Edith has one
disinterestod friend in the house.
But ought not to speak TO you at
al, / said, feeling very uncomfortable.
." Mr.. Foster has strictly forbidden me
70 gossip with strangers.
"Bccausc he is afraid that You might
hear the truth.
"Hut If he is what you say, why
does he have a companion for his step
daughter at all? Unjust be a check on
his movements. / see all that goes on
ne never hides anything from me.
" Don't You see that your presence is
an additional security for him II dis
arms suspicion. Surprising Edith
wen, died suddenly; people would say,
Miss Armitage was there she knows
all about it and no comment would
/ bc excited whereas it would probably
seem uspicious-at all events TO the
Ihondylc family, who are by no means
satisfied with the terms Of the Wilt
/ Edith were 70 die while living alone
with Mr. Foster and his sister There
can be no doubt that the money must
be an immense temptation to him. lie
has nothing of his own. Ten thousand
q year and only one fragile girls life
/ in the WY
] must say the speakers earnestnes5
and unmisiahablc sincerity began to
make an impression upon me. | had
| fancied once or twice that Mr. Foster
exercised AN unusually close surveillance
over Edith and me. We're DIR. Archcrs
/ words true, and was | merely a lay
/ figure at Gorton Hall, to deceive the
world? Had been taken into society
/ by my employers, and my praises
/ trnmpctcd forth to all their acquaint-
anccs. merely in order that my pres
! encc should disam suspicion ? " You
/ have made me very uncomfortable, /
| candidly confessed.
"Rcheve me, Miss Armitage, Iwould
not have taken this course but that |
was compelled by necessity. Ediths
,tcpfatEer has such a complete ascend
oncv over her that it's difficult to know
what to do. Eut you are always with
| her, and can watch over her
Int am only pud companion,
liable 10 dismissal ut amy time.
"True but hope you viii try and
stay as long as you can, for EdthS
sake.
81 fear She is very delicate.
"Shc is delicate; she needs care
Hut. as Size gets older, her health viii
probably improve. There is really no
reason. lmmancly speaking, why She
should not live for many years. But
fcar-I fear many Things, but chiefly
rojson. slow and secret. Mr. Poster Is
AN ACCOMPLISHED chemist, and his anti
,cdcnts- better known to me than to
most people give me little confidence
i'm him. If YOU knew as much ms DO
about him, Miss Armltage, you would
not wonder at my suspicious. Int BE-
sure Of tins there IS danger ] nave
no proof against Mr.. Foster, ami
therefore cannot interfere IN any way.
Promise, promise me, Miss Armitag',
that You viii inform me oil ovcrytmn%
suspicious that YOU may see from tins
time. Here is my address.
hastily took the protcr"d card and
gave the PTomis5; anxious TO return l De
lore ms MoIIyh Snou't ~ ''iIglS} AZ
my absence. enc bu8nIiIS'J IClli'iNc'
that tine sermon must nave Oten ''h-
usually long ana IN a casual manner
asked what was the ''N'' LuchlF'
was ahie TO supply ch"P'eI an" 'yyf5r'
ANA iChE'hE C'tr"Suc 81 my l''.iG'
W"fellppcIS IL llich S'I"cA me Ioi 'li''
hfNi INN" lliat IL ny 'i'uIc'' / ""2
lowed 10 90 0ul aioh'' Ci,lCi 1'i' 4 o.
ter OF MIS-. horrcIi lhl"ilu Hi'i 1''' ~
shliiul[-put qu'Su0hS' every 'uli8
had sand, seen, ana done
Now that suspicion had once entered
my mind, | saw grounds Tor II every
where, MS might nave peeh eApGcteu'
The most absurd fancies entered INTO
NY head. persuaded Edith III secret
TO lock her door at night before retiring
10 rest, which she had never done be
fore. do not know what | expected
10 happen. The precautlon was
s,nsclcss one for the foes was fight
ing against were far too clever and sub
tie to contemplate anything 50 foolish
as commonplace midnight murder
Will do nv employers the Justice
. fo saw that with all this 1 spent de-
liphtiul summer. They took Edith
and me to Scotland for two-months'
tour. and | never cnioved a holiday SO
much 4 more charming ciccr0ne
than Mr.. Foster could not he. Then
we went back 10 Gorton, and settled
down for the winter. For some time
absolutely nothing of any importance
occurred. / wrote occasionally brief,
rCassuring. cautious note to Or. Archer,
hut carefully RETAINED from speaking
when We met, to avert suspicion. Edith
and | grew daily more attached, and
nothing could exceed my employers